


Cutting Away The Past

by OrdainedCrownie



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Legend of Korra Inspiration, Spoilers for Episode 73 I guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-04
Updated: 2016-11-04
Packaged: 2018-08-28 23:53:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8467849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrdainedCrownie/pseuds/OrdainedCrownie
Summary: What if Keyleth asked Vax to cut her hair?





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TiamatZX](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TiamatZX/gifts).



> Tiamat and I had been talking and prompted me to write - What if Keyleth asked Vax to cut her hair? like in Legend of Korra.

It had been a long day of communing with their allies at Fort Daxio as they discussed several campsites for each band to reside as they worked out whatever plan they would becoming up with to deal with Thordak.

 

Keyleth held onto the scissors tightly in her hand that she had taken from Percy whom had given her a quizzical look but had not questioned it when Vex had interrupted them.

 

Leaving Vex and Percy to their own devices, she now stood in front of Vax’s temporary door in the mansion, still deep in thought when it swung open to her surprise.

 

Vax looked thorough surprised and caught with his knife out of his belt almost automatically before he re-sheathed the weapon. “Oh. Hey Kiki.”

 

Keyleth meanwhile could feel her cheeks blush as her ears began to grow hot in his presence as she shifted on the spot before taking a breath to speak. “Hey... umm I wanted to talk to you actually.”

 

Vax frowned for a moment, glancing at the metal tool in Keyleth’s hands but nevertheless allowed Keyleth to walk inside before closing the door with his foot.  Keyleth waited on the bed before he turned around, fiddling with the scissors before glancing at him. “I had a favour to ask from you. I’ve been thinking you see.” She paused waiting to see if Vax would say anything but he merely nodded for her to continue. “I’ve been through so much these past few years that I’ve been travelling with Vox Machina. I like to think that I’ve grown into a more confident person.” Vax reached out to clasp her hand as he moved to sit beside her on the bed in silence.

 

“I know that may seem wrong but- I feel like I need to let go of the past. While Raishan is still not dealt with and we are working on Thordak I wanted to do something to symbolise that change.” Keyleth paused again, glancing down at her hands. “Vax I want you to cut my hair short.” She felt Vax’s hands tighten almost automatically as he took in the words. With his free hand he gently brought a hand to her long red hair, stroking it absently from base of her skull to the ends that sat against her lower back.

 

“Are you sure? This is a big step for you.” Keyleth briefly glanced at him and she could see the signs of concern written across his face.

 

Keyleth nodded, squeezing his hand. “This is a fresh start for me.” Vax stared at her for a long while before pulling his hands to clasp her face, his thumb rubbing against her soft skin.

 

He held her for a long time not saying anything before he swallowed hard. “If this is what you want than I will.” Keyleth smiled brightly as he briefly pulled her forward to kiss her gently before pulling back as he began to play with her hair.

 

He pushed various pieces of her hair behind her ear allowing his hand to slide down the full length of her hair, as if he was remembering or committing to memory what it looked like. He sighed as his fingers hit the ends, allowing it to slip from his fingers, his hand dropping to his side before he glanced back up with a grim smile.

 

“Are you ready?” Keyleth hadn’t felt apprehensive until now as he slowly guided her to a chair he pulled out from the corner of the room before briefly reaching around her to clasp the scissors from her hands. She had resisted giving him the object at first still feeling nervous, but he managed coax her into release her grip as he ran a hand down her hair, combing the strands with his fingers.

 

He had braided hair before and had done the odd haircut but now he suddenly worried; _could he actually do this?_ But she had entrusted him to do this and he was damn well not going to let it pass despite his own reservations.

 

_This was for her not for him._

_She wanted this and he wanted her to be happy._

 

He started from the bottom, his fingers clasping the small chunk of hair, before leaning forward, resting his chin on her shoulder. He could see tears brimming in her eyes as she felt overwhelmed,

 

“Are you ready?” he asked softly, pressing a kiss to her cheek and diligently waited for her response. She sniffed, wiping her eyes with her fingers before nodding.

 

_This was a fresh start. This was a fresh start. She told herself as a mantra._

She heard Vax take a deep breath as he pulled back and she heard him shuffle behind her. “Here we go.” She heard the sound of the scissors beginning to cut through her hair. It was the only sound she heard filling her ears as Vax slowly began to cut her hair. She whimpered and he offered words of encouragement as he worked, offering small rewards of kisses if she was quiet. She took to biting her hand as she felt the weight of not only her hair but also her past worries slip away with each snip of hair.

It would be at least an hour or so (well it felt like an hour to Keyleth and probably Vax too from the way he groaned when he straightened his legs.) when Vax finally finished cutting her hair. He had cut a decent chunk away managing to kind of taper it into shoulder length so it was short enough to feel like a weight had been lifted but was still just long enough to hold her headpiece in place.

 

Vax combed his fingers through the hair shaking away the loose strands that still clung on and he could hear Keyleth humming to herself.  He recognised the tune as one of the Ashari songs she used to keep herself calm when she was anxious or scared.

 

Sliding the scissors into one of his knife sheathes momentarily, he leant both hands on her shoulders before whispering in her ear. “All done Keeks.” Her humming ceased abruptly as her hand flew behind her feeling how light her hair felt now nearly taking Vax out in the process. She could actually feel where it ended and it was strange. She glanced beneath her and saw the long strands of hair on the ground, the remnants of her past.

 

_The remnants her previous worries left behind._

_This was the new her now._

 

Silence ensued and Vax slowly crouched in front of Keyleth, clasping her free hand as she brushed her own fingers through her hair, feeling the full length of it against her fingers as her hand actually met the ends resting on her shoulder.

 

“Is it okay?” Vax asked softly, squeezing her hand as she turned her gaze to him, her other hand now clasping around his. The relief was evident on her face as he smile lit up her face, tears bristling in her eyes, glistening in the candle light of his room.

 

She leant forward, her forehead touching with his, their noses brushing against each other, feeling breath breeze across their skin before Keyleth closed the distance, pressing a soft kiss to his lips much to his surprise. 

“I love it, thank you.”


End file.
